Documents Tagged lead in All Sections

NRDC's Mae Wu testified before the Council of the Distrcit of Columbia Committee on Government Operations and the Environment and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation on February 10, 2009, discussing water quality and lead levels in drinking water in the District of Columbia. Get document in pdf.

We all want our homes to be clean, safe places to live but toxic invaders may lurk inside your home, putting you and your family at risk. Here are five household pollutants to watch out for, and tips on how to minimize your exposure.

Pollution poses health risks for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or country of origin. A large percentage of U.S. Latinos, however, live and work in urban and agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury contamination. This October 2004 report underscores the urgent need for government action on these environmental health threats.

Lead is devastating to the human body, inhibiting oxygen and calcium transport and altering nerve transmission in the brain. Even low concentrations of lead can cause permanent damage, and children are especially vulnerable.